Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Taytay Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Taytay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $836 in Taytay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,320 in Taytay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,805 in Taytay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 52% more than Taytay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taytay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Taytay 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$5.41 ₱328

119.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$21.00 ₱1,275

104.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.53 ₱214

201.70%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.73 ₱166

26.37%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.93 ₱56.6

61.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.53 ₱32.46

79.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.53 ₱93.1

98.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.64 ₱160

74.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.89 ₱115

-26.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.39 ₱84.7

33.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.07 ₱65.2

50.47%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.15 ₱130

20.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.44 ₱573

-12.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.31 ₱322

57.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.33 ₱506

27.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.38 ₱205

-22.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.76 ₱107

-15.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.49 ₱212

-44.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.38 ₱145

-12.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.74 ₱166

-32.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$3.14 ₱190

-28.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.96 ₱119

-45.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.65 ₱39.56

67.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.38 ₱205

22.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.85 ₱537

17.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.50 ₱91.4

14.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.14 ₱130

21.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.26 ₱15.66

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.90 ₱54.7

247.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₱14.58

945.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.17 ₱132

45.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.17 ₱71.1

8.55%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.9K ₱1.6M

12.99%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$22.5K ₱1.4M

4.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.0 MX$1,425

$135 ₱8,187

-38.44%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.71 MX$390

$21.81 ₱1,325

4.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$27.95 ₱1,697

5.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$33.24 ₱2,019

53.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.50 ₱273

307.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.87 ₱417

-28.24%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$197 MX$3,386

$152 ₱9,258

29.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,367 ₱265.2K

20.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$46.71 ₱2,836

-21.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$35.20 ₱2,137

13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$81.3 ₱4,937

-1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$46.21 ₱2,806

93.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$268 ₱16.3K

256.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$174 ₱10.5K

174.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$576 ₱35.0K

185.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$400 ₱24.3K

206.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,543 ₱154.4K

54.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$880 ₱53.4K

634.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.52

51.86%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Taytay: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 in Taytay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Taytay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $239 – making Taytay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Taytay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 52%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,253 in Taytay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taytay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $836 in Taytay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $152 in Taytay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Taytay, where all-in costs run around $836, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Taytay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taytay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Taytay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.